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Advanced marimba techniques: An analysis with musical approaches to performance problems in "West Side Suite", music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, adapted and arranged for unaccompanied marimba by John Serry. Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Gronemeier, Dean Warren. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 18:54:37 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/185428 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. 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Ann Arbor, MI 48106 ADVANCED MARIMBA TECHNIQUES: AN ANALYSIS WITH MUSICAL APPROACHES TO PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS IN WEST SIDE SUITE Music by Leonard Bernstein Lyrics by Stephen Sondhelm Adapted and Arranged for Unaccompanied Marimba by John Serry by Dean Warren Gronemeier Copyright © Dean Warren Gronemeier A Lecture Recital Document Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 9 1 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have Dean Warren Gronemeier read the document prepared by ---------------------------------------- entitled ADVANCED MARIMBA TECHNIQUES: AN ANALYSIS WITH MUSICAL APPROACHES TO PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS IN WEST SIDE SUITE and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirements DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS for the Degree of -------------------------------------------------- 4- - 12 - 9 \ Date Final approval and acceptance of this document is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the document to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this document prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the requirement. Director Prof. Gary Cook Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This lecture recital document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the library. Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Request for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENT This lecture document would not have been possible without the immeasurable support and understanding that I received from family, friends, colleagues, and professors. I would like to thank John Serry of The University of South Carolina for his permission to use examples from his West Side Suite arrangement. I extend my gratitude to the members of my doctoral committee for monitoring the progress of my degree and assisting me through the final stages. I would like to thank the music faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for the use of their computer facilities and their overall moral support. A very special thank you is extended to my mother for her continuous support and loving concern, and to my late father for his role as creative consultant. I am greatly indebted to and extend my sincerest gratitude to Professor Gary Cook for his expert tutelage and invaluable assistance throughout the duration of this lecture document and my tenure at The University of Arizona. Finally, to my loving wife Martha for her continuous devotion and faith in my success, and for the personal sacrifices she had to endure for this document to be completed, thank youl 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 6 Chapter 1 Review of Extant Materials - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 Chapter 2 Mallet Permutations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 6 Single Line Permutations- ---------------- -1 6 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 1 Chapter 3 One-Handed, Two-Mallet RolI- - - - - - - - - - - 3 1 Developing the One-Handed, Two-Mallet Roll - - - - 3 2 Roll Speeds, Attacks, and Releases - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 7 Chapter 4 Interval Changes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4 9 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 3 Chapter 5 Octave Playing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 5 Exercises for Octave Practice - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 7 Additional Exercises for Octave Accuracy - - - - - - - 6 9 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 1 Chapter 6 Peripheral Accuracy- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 2 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 6 Chapter 7 Ostinato Patterns - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 6 Musical Analysis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 9 Chapter 8 Polyrhythmic Playing ---------------- -1 1 1 Musical Analysis- ---------------------- -1 1 3 Chapter 9 Chorale Playing --------------------- -1 20 Musical Analysis- ---------------------- -1 2 2 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ----------------------------- -1 26 6 ABSTRACT This document presents a systematic study of advanced marimba techniques. Although the focus is technically based, special consideration has been taken to present the various topics in a musical setting. This methodology provides the student with a school of marimba playing that deals with the technical and musical aspects of marimba performance simultaneously. Each chapter focuses on a specific technique. A detailed explanation of the technique is given followed by exercises that aid in developing the psycho-motor controls to master the technique. The technique is then applied to musical excerpts which immediately provide the interaction of technical and musical elements. The chapter topics include: mallet permutations; the one-handed, two-mallet roll; octave playing; interval changes; peripheral accuracy; ostinato patterns; polyrhythmic playing; and chorale style playing. The musical excerpts in the body of the paper are taken from John Serry's West Side Suite, an unaccompanied marimba arrangement of music from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story . 7 CHAPTER 1 REVIEW OF EXTANT MATERIALS Before presenting the main body of this document and my concepts of "advanced marimba techniques" it is important to first survey existing pedagogical materials. In this chapter I will briefly examine significant keyboard percussion texts that address four mallet performance techniques. Most of the materials examined in this chapter pertain to four mallet performance on vibraphone and marimba, however the techniques are also applicable to bells, xylophone, and, although rarely called for, crotales and chimes. The reviewed materials are both texts and video tapes and are presented chronologically by publication date. A significant feature of each text is the type of four mallet grip it employs. There are three common grips, with some slight variations, used in four mallet percussion keyboard playing. These grips are: the "traditional cross grip", the "Burton grip", and the "Musser/Steven's grip." The "traditional cross grip" is the earliest grip found in the pedagogical literature. This grip is formed by holding one mallet, commonly called the inside mallet, between the thumb and index finger while a second mallet, commonly called the outside mallet, is inserted between the index finger and the middle finger. The two mallets cross in the palm of